# Using a mask can disturb your \_width property

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/using-a-mask-can-disturb-your--width-property/218265>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [March 6, 2007, 7:58am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/using-a-mask-can-disturb-your--width-property/218265 "2007-03-06T07:58:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ayman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Ayman](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Ayman)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 7:58am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/using-a-mask-can-disturb-your--width-property/218265/1 "2007-03-06T07:58:29Z")

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although your movieclip may be very small, when tracing it’s \_width property, you might find it extremely large (say 600 px wide)

The reason is because you’re using a mask layer which contains a 600 px wide fill.

Is there anyway at all of reading the “appearing” width of the movieclip, which does not include the mask width itself?

Thanks!